Chapter 32 Part 1

The night was deep and still, the room shrouded in silence. Liu Yuanxun lay on the bed, gazing quietly at the intricate patterns on the bed canopy as he waited for Gu Lianzhao.

Even now, he still didn’t understand Liu Yuanze’s true intentions. But it didn’t matter. Once the new year passed, the gu worm inside him would fully mature, and all these tangled troubles would finally settle to dust.

What he owed to his Consort Mother, what she owed to his Imperial Brother, and what his Imperial Brother had done to him—once he was gone, this web of debts and sins would be wiped clean in one stroke.

He wasn’t unafraid of death; it was just that living brought him no joy. The weight of his sins pressed down on him like a mountain, crushing him until he was exhausted. Sometimes, the thought of death even felt like a release.

He let out a heavy sigh and burrowed deeper into the covers, drawing in what little warmth remained.

It wasn’t long before Gu Lianzhao entered the room, his body carrying the fresh scent of bathwater.

Hearing his footsteps, Liu Yuanxun felt a sudden tension. He knew this was all just for show, but the thought that after tonight, in everyone’s eyes, Gu Lianzhao would truly become his consort—it made it impossible for him to treat the man with his usual calm detachment.

As Gu Lianzhao passed by the table, he casually blew out the flickering candle flame.

The layout of this room was utterly different from his bedroom back at the prince’s residence—no window let in even a sliver of light by the bed. Once the candle was extinguished, Liu Yuanxun could see nothing at all.

The darkness stirred the nightmare buried deep in his memories. Fear gripped Liu Yuanxun’s heart, and he instinctively reached out into the void. “A’Qiao…”

Gu Lianzhao approached the bedside slowly and took his hand, their fingers intertwining as he murmured soothingly, “I’m here.”

Liu Yuanxun let out a small breath of relief, though his voice carried a faint, almost imperceptible tremor as he negotiated. “A’Qiao, could you relight the candle? It’s too dark in here. I can’t see a thing.”

The darkness terrified Liu Yuanxun, leaving him more vulnerable than usual. But for Gu Lianzhao, it stripped away his mask, amplifying the desires within him and bringing a sense of ease—and even pleasure.

Can’t see? Wasn’t that for the best?

Without sight, one could only fumble helplessly in the dark, seeking help from others. Without sight, one had to rely on him, reach out to him alone.

He had seen it clearly: in that instant when he reached back and clasped Liu Yuanxun’s hand, the look of utter relief on the prince’s face was unmistakable, as if he saw Gu Lianzhao as his sole anchor. The sensation was novel, almost inverting their roles in his mind, making him feel as though he were the Prince Rui.

Gu Lianzhao sat calmly on the edge of the bed, his fingers lightly gripping Liu Yuanxun’s hand as he leaned in close, pressing against the prince’s pillow. He spoke slowly, “But the things we must do at night—how could they be done in the light? If it’s too bright, won’t others see?”

His words made sense. There were still people listening from the roof above. If the candle burned too brightly, some things would be inconvenient.

But this distance was far too close…

Liu Yuanxun felt the heat that had only just faded from his body reigniting, his breathing quickening.

He pushed instinctively at Gu Lianzhao’s chest—only to realize the man wore just a single thin robe, the silk so smooth and sheer it might as well not have been there. His hand seemed to touch skin directly.

Liu Yuanxun’s heart jolted. He yanked his hand back in alarm, not daring to push further. He could only retreat backward, but the bed was so small. The more he withdrew, the less room he had until his back pressed flat against the wall. Only then did he realize the distance between them hadn’t changed at all.

He couldn’t help speaking up, embarrassment threading his voice. “A’Qiao… you… could you move back a little…?”

A faint, icy smile tugged at Gu Lianzhao’s lips, though his voice remained soft. In the darkness, it even carried a hint of grievance. “Where could I possibly go? This was all Your Highness’s idea in the first place. I’m just a mere ger… For something like this, it wouldn’t be proper for me to take the initiative. But if Your Highness keeps resisting… then I…”

He was usually so direct in his speech, never stammering like this. Clearly, he was utterly embarrassed.

Liu Yuanxun instantly regretted it, chastising himself for being too much. This was his plan, after all; Gu Lianzhao was merely cooperating. Yet at the crucial moment, not only did he fail to take the lead, he was making a ger serve him. Wasn’t that just bullying the man?

Liu Yuanxun was quick to correct his mistake, wasting no time. He sat up on the bed and placed his hand on Gu Lianzhao’s shoulder, his expression earnest. “It was my fault. Don’t worry—leave the rest to me.”

Gu Lianzhao had been leaning casually against the headboard. Under the press of Liu Yuanxun’s hand, he yielded smoothly, his body going soft as he lay back on the bed.

Taking advantage of the fact that Liu Yuanxun couldn’t see his face, Gu Lianzhao let a playful smile spread across his lips, though his tone stayed gentle. “Then… I’ll leave it all to Your Highness.”

He was curious—what would Liu Yuanxun do next?

Would he simply pull him down onto the bed, sleep until dawn, and then announce to everyone the next day, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, that it was done? Given the short time it had taken him to enter and exit Joyful Hall, he probably hadn’t even gotten a good look at the statue inside.

Liu Yuanxun was determined and earnest about completing the task, but his lack of experience left him at a loss. After pressing Gu Lianzhao onto the bed and adjusting him into a standard position, he had no idea what to do next.

Gu Lianzhao complied obediently. A mocking smile played at his lips the whole time, like watching a blind kitten flailing about. Knowing the prince couldn’t harm him, he remained squarely in the hunter’s stance.

He was relaxed, but Liu Yuanxun was growing tense. Recalling that horrifying glimpse from his memory, his ears flushed red, his lips began to tremble, and he forced out the words with difficulty. “A-A’Qiao, could you… could you spread your legs… spread your legs…”

By the last words, his voice was a mosquito’s whisper, fading before it fully left his tongue. Gu Lianzhao hadn’t heard clearly, but he could guess well enough. Curiosity about what Liu Yuanxun would do next overrode any urge to tease, so he parted his legs generously, letting the prince kneel between them.

And then?

Perhaps grab his waist and lean over him?

The thought made Liu Yuanxun inwardly curse Liu Yuanze. If not for the surveillance, would he have to put on such an awkward show with Gu Lianzhao? As a man, he could bear it, but taking advantage of Gu Lianzhao like this only deepened his sense of guilt.

Drawing on his vague memory of the statue, he reached out to touch Gu Lianzhao’s waist.

The room was pitch black; he could only grope carefully in the dark, liable to miss his mark.

He wasn’t sure what he touched, but the texture felt odd—followed by Gu Lianzhao’s muffled grunt of restraint.

“Sorry, sorry…” Liu Yuanxun pulled his hand back in a panic, apologizing repeatedly. “Did I hurt you?”

“It’s fine. Please continue…” Gu Lianzhao drew a deep breath and took the offending hand, guiding it firmly to his waist and abdomen.

So hard!

Liu Yuanxun was startled, comparing it instinctively to his own body. So the abdomen of someone who practiced martial arts was actually this firm? No wonder people said martial artists’ bodies were like “impenetrable fortresses.” It seemed the saying held true.

Curiosity sparked in Liu Yuanxun at the most inopportune moment, leading him to study the physique of a martial artist. Mindful that Gu Lianzhao was a ger, he didn’t grope recklessly but merely prodded gently with his fingers, envy clear in his voice. “Are all your bodies like this?”

From the moment Liu Yuanxun had touched the wrong spot, Gu Lianzhao had lost his composure. Those hands left him feeling weak all over, even robbing him of the strength to hold a blade. It took him a long moment before he managed a soft “Mm.”

“Amazing…” Liu Yuanxun prodded again, then remembered the task at hand. One hand steady on Gu Lianzhao’s waist, he leaned forward until their chests were just a fist’s width apart, holding the position there.

Straining to support himself, he managed only a few breaths before his arms gave out, collapsing limply to the side.

Gu Lianzhao reached out and caught him, drawing him steadily into his arms.

Liu Yuanxun lay obediently on his side, full of shame as he murmured, “Sorry, I really don’t have any strength left…”

The eavesdropper on the roof slipped in shock, nearly dislodging a tile. He grabbed the ridge desperately, not daring to listen any longer. He feared knowing too much might give the prince an excuse to silence him later.

If such intimate pillow talk spread, what man could endure the humiliation? Better to report it truthfully to the emperor first, await His Majesty’s decree, and plan from there.

The man on the roof unleashed his lightness skill and vanished swiftly.

Gu Lianzhao noticed and said softly, “Your Highness, he’s gone.”

Liu Yuanxun’s eyes lit up. “So we don’t have to keep pretending?”

Gu Lianzhao arched a brow slightly. Looking at him like this—did he really think mimicking the statue’s pose and lying on top for a bit would fool everyone?

Amused, Gu Lianzhao drawled, “No need to pretend, but does Your Highness think this will deceive Eunuch Hong?”

“Ah?” Liu Yuanxun stared at him in confusion. “Isn’t this enough? What else do we need to do?”

His gaze was pure and innocent, like a child untouched by the world. Any ordinary person meeting his eyes might feel ashamed of even a speck of malice in their heart. But Gu Lianzhao only grew faintly excited under that stare.

“Of course not.” Gu Lianzhao watched him intently, propping himself up slowly like a leopard in the hunt until his shadow completely enveloped Liu Yuanxun on the pillow. Only then did he ask softly, “Does Your Highness know what the rite of consummation is also called?”

Liu Yuanxun sensed an inexplicable danger, but Gu Lianzhao’s status as a ger put him off his guard. He only worried that dodging too obviously might embarrass the man, never imagining he himself might be the prey.

He blinked. “What?”

Gu Lianzhao wanted to brush aside his hair and whisper the explanation against his neck, but he knew he couldn’t act rashly. Liu Yuanxun was inexperienced, not foolish enough to be easily duped. To touch him legitimately, he had to restrain himself, avoiding any suspicious moves.